Thread to compress connector

Abstract

A cable connector connects a coaxial cable to an interface port by an outer conductor engager, a body and a coupler. The coupler draws the body over a plurality of resilient fingers of the outer conductor engager to urge the fingers into electrical contact with a peripheral outer surface of a stripped/prepared end of a coaxial cable.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cable connector, comprising:
 an outer conductor engager configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and to be in electrical communication with an outer conductor of the received coaxial cable; 
 a body configured to circumscribe the received coaxial cable; 
 a coupler configured to move the body axially relative to the outer conductor engager such that a tapered inner surface of the body engages the outer conductor engager; and 
 a compression ring disposed rearward of the tapered inner surface along an axial direction, 
 wherein the compression ring is configured to urge the outer conductor engager against the outer conductor when the body is moved axially relative to the outer conductor engager by the coupler. 
 
     
     
       2. The cable connector of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes an annular ring portion defining an inward-facing lip, the tapered inner surface, and the compression ring. 
     
     
       3. The cable connector of  claim 2 , wherein the outer conductor engager includes a plurality of resilient fingers configured to be in electrical communication with the outer conductor of the received coaxial cable, each resilient finger having a first outward-facing barb and an outward-facing tapered surface, and
 wherein the inward-facing lip of the body is configured to engage the first outward-facing barb of each resilient finger before the body is moved axially relative to the outer conductor engager by the coupler. 
 
     
     
       4. The cable connector of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler includes a threaded portion configured to be threadedly engaged with the interface port and to be fastened to the interface port by relative rotation, the interface port being configured to be drawn toward the outer conductor engager by the fastening such that a face surface of the interface port is configured to engage a front face surface of the outer conductor engager. 
     
     
       5. The cable connector of  claim 4 , wherein the outer conductor engager has an outer surface that tapers rearwardly along the axial direction, and
 wherein, after the interface port engages a front face surface of the outer conductor engager, the interface port is configured to force the outer conductor engager axially relative to the body when further fastened, thereby causing the tapered inner surface of the body to engage the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager. 
 
     
     
       6. The cable connector of  claim 2 , wherein the body includes a second inward-facing annular lip having a rearward-facing stop surface configured to abutingly receive a forward stop surface along an outer jacket of the received coaxial cable,
 wherein the outer conductor engager includes a rearward-facing stop surface configured to abutingly receive a forward edge surface of the outer conductor and an insulator of the received coaxial cable, and 
 wherein the forward edge surface of the coaxial cable is configured to be moved rearward with the outer conductor engager relative to the body as the outer conductor engager is moved relative to the body. 
 
     
     
       7. The cable connector of  claim 6 , wherein the forward stop surface along the outer jacket of the coaxial cable is configured to move rearward with the outer conductor engager out of abutment with the rearward-facing stop surface of the second inward-facing annular lip of the body,
 wherein the outer conductor engager includes a second outward-facing barb having a forward-facing surface, the second outward-facing barb being at an opposite axial side of the first outward-facing barb relative to the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager, 
 wherein the forward-facing surface of the second outward-facing barb is configured to engage a rearward-facing surface of the inward-facing lip of the body when the coupler is fully tightened against the interface port, and 
 wherein the body is configured to be axially retained by the second barb of the outer conductor engager in a fully installed state of the connector. 
 
     
     
       8. A cable connector, comprising:
 an outer conductor engager configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and to be in electrical communication with an outer conductor of the received coaxial cable; 
 a body configured to circumscribe the coaxial cable and to engage the outer conductor engager when the body is disposed in a first axial position; 
 a coupler configured to move the body axially relative to the outer conductor engager such that an inner surface of the body engages the outer conductor engager; and 
 a compression ring disposed rearward of a forward end of the body along an axial direction, the compression ring being configured to have an inner surface having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of an inner surface of the forward end of the body, 
 wherein the compression ring is configured to urge the outer conductor engager against the outer conductor when the body is moved axially relative to the outer conductor engager by the coupler to a second axial position. 
 
     
     
       9. The cable connector of  claim 8 , wherein the body includes an annular ring portion defining an inward-facing lip at the forward end of the body, a tapered inner surface, and the compression ring. 
     
     
       10. The cable connector of  claim 9 , wherein the outer conductor engager includes a plurality of resilient fingers configured to be in electrical communication with the outer conductor of the received coaxial cable, each resilient finger having a first outward-facing barb and an outward-facing tapered surface, and
 wherein the inward-facing lip of the body is configured to engage the first outward-facing barb of each resilient finger when the body is disposed in the first axial position. 
 
     
     
       11. The cable connector of  claim 9 , wherein the coupler includes a threaded portion configured to be threadedly engaged with the interface port and to be fastened to the interface port by relative rotation, the interface port being configured to be drawn toward the outer conductor engager by the fastening such that a face surface of the interface port is configured to engage a front face surface of the outer conductor engager. 
     
     
       12. The cable connector of  claim 11 , wherein the outer conductor engager has an outer surface that tapers rearwardly along the axial direction, and
 wherein, after the interface port engages a front face surface of the outer conductor engager, the interface port is configured to force the outer conductor engager axially relative to the body when further fastened, thereby causing the tapered inner surface of the body to engage the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager. 
 
     
     
       13. The cable connector of  claim 9 , wherein the body includes a second inward-facing annular lip having a rearward-facing stop surface configured to abutingly receive a forward stop surface along an outer jacket of the received coaxial cable,
 wherein the outer conductor engager includes a rearward-facing stop surface configured to abutingly receive a forward edge surface of the outer conductor and an insulator of the received coaxial cable, and 
 wherein the forward edge surface of the coaxial cable is configured to be moved rearward with the outer conductor engager relative to the body as the outer conductor engager is moved relative to the body. 
 
     
     
       14. The cable connector of  claim 13 , wherein the outer conductor engager has an outer surface that tapers rearwardly along the axial direction,
 wherein the forward stop surface along the outer jacket of the coaxial cable is configured to move rearward with the outer conductor engager out of abutment with the rearward-facing stop surface of the second inward-facing annular lip of the body, 
 wherein the outer conductor engager includes a second outward-facing barb having a forward-facing surface, the second outward-facing barb being at an opposite axial side of the first outward-facing barb relative to the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager, 
 wherein, the forward-facing surface of the second outward-facing barb is configured to engage a rearward-facing surface of the inward-facing lip of the body when the coupler is fully tightened against the interface port, and 
 wherein the body is configured to be axially retained by the second barb of the outer conductor engager in a fully installed state of the connector. 
 
     
     
       15. A cable connector, comprising
 an outer conductor engager having an outer surface that tapers rearwardly along an axial direction, the outer conductor engager being configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and to be in electrical communication with an outer conductor of the received coaxial cable; 
 a body configured to circumscribe the coaxial cable, the body being configured to engage the outer conductor engager when the body is disposed in a first axial position; 
 a coupler configured to move the body axially relative to the outer conductor engager such that a surface of the body engages the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager; and 
 a compression ring disposed rearward of a forward end of the body along the axis, the compression ring being configured to have an inner surface having a diameter that is smaller than a largest diameter of the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager, 
 wherein the compression ring is configured to engage the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager and urge the outer conductor engager against the outer conductor when the body is moved axially relative to the outer conductor engager by the coupler to a second axial position. 
 
     
     
       16. The cable connector of  claim 15 , wherein the body includes an annular ring portion defining an inward-facing lip at the forward end of the body, a tapered inner surface, and the compression ring. 
     
     
       17. The cable connector of  claim 16 , wherein the outer conductor engager includes a plurality of resilient fingers configured to be in electrical communication with the outer conductor of the received coaxial cable, each resilient finger having a first outward-facing barb and an outward-facing tapered surface, and
 wherein the inward-facing lip of the body is configured to engage the first outward-facing barb of each resilient finger when the body is disposed in the first axial position. 
 
     
     
       18. The cable connector of  claim 16 , wherein the coupler includes a threaded portion configured to be threadedly engaged with the interface port and to be fastened to the interface port by relative rotation, the interface port being configured to be drawn toward the outer conductor engager by the fastening such that a face surface of the interface port is configured to engage a front face surface of the outer conductor engager. 
     
     
       19. The cable connector of  claim 18 , wherein, after the interface port engages a front face surface of the outer conductor engager, the interface port is configured to force the outer conductor engager axially relative to the body when further fastened, thereby causing the tapered inner surface of the body to engage the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager. 
     
     
       20. The cable connector of  claim 16 , wherein the body includes a second inward-facing annular lip having a rearward-facing stop surface configured to abutingly receive a forward stop surface along an outer jacket of the received coaxial cable,
 wherein the outer conductor engager includes a rearward-facing stop surface configured to abutingly receive a forward edge surface of the outer conductor and an insulator of the received coaxial cable, and 
 wherein the forward edge surface of the coaxial cable is configured to be moved rearward with the outer conductor engager relative to the body as the outer conductor engager is moved relative to the body. 
 
     
     
       21. The cable connector of  claim 20 , wherein the forward stop surface along the outer jacket of the coaxial cable is configured to move rearward with the outer conductor engager out of abutment with the rearward-facing stop surface of the second inward-facing annular lip of the body,
 wherein the outer conductor engager includes a second outward-facing barb having a forward-facing surface, the second outward-facing barb being at an opposite axial side of the first outward-facing barb relative to the tapered outer surface of the outer conductor engager, 
 wherein the forward-facing surface of the second outward-facing barb is configured to engage a rearward-facing surface of the inward-facing lip of the body when the coupler is fully tightened against the interface port, and 
 wherein the body is configured to be axially retained by the second barb of the outer conductor engager in a fully installed state of the connector.